Lithuanian hunters acquitted in illegal red deer case

A Lithuanian court has acquitted three hunters accused of illegally killing two red deer using prohibited devices, including a silencer and a night-vision scope. The court determined that there was insufficient reliable evidence to support the prosecution's claims that each defendant shot two deer, totaling six. The court also found no conclusive proof that one of the accused, M. G., traveled by car to an illegal hunt on a specific date.

The ruling highlighted a significant shift in regulations: since July 1, 2025, hunting with silencers has become legal in Lithuania, and night-vision scopes are permitted in certain circumstances. Furthermore, the hunting limit for red deer was lifted due to a substantial increase in their population. The court noted that the two deer killed, a calf and a two-year-old male, were classified as culling targets, not trophies, and thus did not constitute significant harm to wildlife.

The court also pointed out that many of the alleged offenses, such as failing to properly fill out a hunting log or adhere to veterinary requirements, fall under administrative rather than criminal law. Crucially, the statutes of limitations for bringing the accused, M. G., M. M., and M. M., to administrative responsibility had expired before legal action was initiated.

Additionally, the court suggested that more specific investigative methods, such as X-rays or CT scans to locate bullets in animal carcasses and microscopic analysis of firearms, should have been employed. The court dismissed civil claims for non-pecuniary damages and legal costs filed by the hunters' association and left the state's claim for material damages related to the deer unclaimed, further underscoring the lack of sufficient evidence presented.